Prayer is requested for Mehran Shamloui, 37, who was arrested by Iranian security on his arrival in Mashhad after being deported from Türkiye on 3 July. He had been apprehended in Istanbul while attempting to escape to Europe without valid documentation.
Mehran had been sentenced to a total of ten years in prison – eight years for “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law” and two years for “membership of an opposition group” (house-church) – following his arrest in Tehran in November 2024.
In connected raids on homes, two other Christians, Abbas Soori and Narges Nasri, were also arrested. Abbas was sentenced to ten years for “propaganda activities” and five for “membership of an opposition group”, while expectant mother Narges was handed down ten years for “propaganda activities”, five for “membership of an opposition group” and an additional one year for “propaganda against the state” by showing support on social media for the Women, Life, Freedom movement.
An appeal against these severe sentences failed, and all three Christians fled Iran while temporarily released on bail. Aware that asylum-seekers in Türkiye face multiple restrictions and have little hope of resettlement, Mehran attempted to travel on to Europe and was apprehended.
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